The Arizona sentinel., 1887-04-30

1 ''We have been asked to come here for many years; but we did not feel until recently that we could be spared from our home work. A little over five years ago we nursed the daughter of a New York banker in Rome, and it was through her influence that we de- cided to come to this country. Five years ago another Sister and myself came to this city to see whether we were really needed here. had been at the head of the House in Dion, France. We first found quarters in the Found ling Asylum on Sixty-eighth street and Lexington avenue, where we were fer two months; then we took the house, 146 West Twenty-second street. where we remained two years. We soon found that we needed more Sisters, and accordingly more were sent to us until we now number twenty-one- Last summer, on my return from France, l brought eight back with me. We haven't half enough now to supply our needs. We could use fifty at least.
 ''Three years ago we leased this house for five years. It seems rather large, but it is none too much so. When our Sisters are nursing patients with contagious diseases they must have rooms in the house apart from the rest, where they may be quarantined. We nurse all kinds of sick people, what ever may be their complaints, and | quarantine is, therefore, often neces sary. We have bought some land on Eighty-first street and Lexington ave nue, where we will erect a suitable and permanent house as soon as we have the necessary means. The order will be extended to other cities as soon as possible. think the first branch house will probably be in Boston" "
 "Are all of your Sisters from Eu- rope?" asked the writer.
 "Yes. None have as yet joined the order in America. We are very strict in our rules for membership. The ap- plicant must be educated, and can never have been a servant, and she must be under twenty-five years of age. Thus our novitiate is very severe and long. The appli- cant must spend from three to five years nursing before she can be admit ted. This nursing has to be done in the houses of the sick, for no hospital train ing would answer. At first the appli- cant wears a dress different from our costume, so that the doctors may know that she is a novice and not trust her too fully before she is experienced. She always accompanies another Sister in these visits. After her apprenticeship is served she is admitted into the Sis terhood. She must then serve about five years longer near the house where she is admitted before she is trusted to go long distance away from it. At the end of about ten years she com petent nurse and may be sent to the end of the world, if need be. Then, too, before any applicants are received we must know all about the family and antecedents of the applicant. We must be very careful of the regulations of our Order"
 That this care is strictly exercised, the fact that Sister has never failed to meet with the utmost respect wherever she has been bears abundant testimony. In the homes of the rich they are treated with the most dis tinguished courtesy, and in the homes of the poor and ignorant this respectis never omitted. The present house of the Sisterhood has been neatly and newly furnished. The former parlor of the Fathers has been tastefully trans formed into beautiful chapel The altar is a gift of former patient and the rich branch ornaments came from Paris. Over the altar is an oil painting of our Saviour, standing on globe, on one side of which is inscribed "France" and on the other America" Fragrant flowers bloom on either side of the rail and the light enters the room through two richly stained glass wind ows. Here every morning mass is said by one of the clergymen of the Dominican Church.-M F. Graphic.